Beehive press



C. LIST BEEHIVTP. PRESS Feb. 6, 1934.

Filed Fe.-

3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Cczr/ Z652! BY fiRNEY 6. LIST BEEHIVEPRE'SS F eb. 6, 1934.

Filed Feb. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Car! List BY g ' ATTORNEYPatented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEEHIVE PRESS CarlList, Elmont, N. Y.

Application February 3, 1933. Serial No. 654,980

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a beehivepress.

The invention has for an object the construction of a beehive presswhich is characterized by a provision whereby the honeycomb is treatedin a certain fashion so that it releases absolutely the greatest amountof wax.

As a still further object of this invention, it is proposed to includewithin the process a plurality of chains adapted to imbed themselvesinto the honeycomb during compression so that upon subsequent releasethe chains serve to cut the honeycomb and so disturb it for theeflicient discharge of the wax. a

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an arrangementwhereby the chains may be radially adjusted to compensate for differentconditions of the honeycomb particularly its mass as related to the sizeof the press.

As a still further object of this invention, it is proposed to soconstructthe bee-hive press that necessary steam and motion are obtainedfor the most eflicient discharge of the wax.

Still further the invention proposes the con- I struction of a device asmentioned which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured andsold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of thisdisclosure:-

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a device constructed accordingto this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 1showing in particular the lowerv right hand end corner of a cylindricalcasing of the device. I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of another portion ofFig. 1 showing in detail the attachment of the chains. V

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4. V I

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the device.

The beehive press according to this invention comprises a cylindricalcasing 10 with a bottom discharge spout 11. A threadedspindle 12 isretatively mounted coaxially through the casing 10. A perforated drum 13is rotatively mounted on the spindle 12 and located within the casing10.

The casing 10 is composed of a sheet metal cover engaged upon an end cap14 at one end and upon a ring 15 at the other end. This ring is providedwith a flange to which a removable end cap 16 is secured by wing nuts17. I

. A means is provided for rotating the spindle 12 and comprises a handwheel 18 secured upon the extended square end 19 of the spindle. Thewing nut 20 holds the hand wheel 18 in place. Another means is providedfor rotating the drum w 13 and comprises an end disc 21 secured upon oneend of the drum 13 and having a sleeve portion 22 arranged on thespindle 12 and extending to the exterior. A handle 23 is mounted uponthe sleeve 22 whereby the sleeve may be turned 79' for turning the drum.The handle 23 is connected with the sleeve by the provision of a setscrew 24 which arrangement permits loosening of the set screw so thatthe handle may be removed. Another set screw 25 is mounted upon .78

' a tubular portion of the end cover 16 and is adapted to engage againstthe sleeve 22 for locking the drum 13 against turning. A small set screw26 is engaged through the sleeve 22 and is adapted to connect with the.spindle 12 to connect the drum 13 and the spindle 12 in unitaryrotation. The drum 13 comprises a perforated sheet attached at one endupon an end plate 27 rotative on the spindle 12 and at the other endupon the ring 28 detaohably connected with the end cap Ili- 21. A disc29 is mounted upon the spindle 12 and on the inside of the end cap 21.

A perforated plate 30 is disposed within the drum 13 and is of adiameter to slide within the drum. This perforated plate 30 isthreadedly engaged upon the spindle 12. A plurality of guides 31 aremounted upon the inside of the drum 13 and engage through slots in theperforated plate 30 so as to limit motion of the plate along thelongitudinal axis only. The end disc-27 is also provided with a tubularportion provided with a set screw'32 adapted to engage against thespindle 12 for locking the spindle against rotation when desired.

A-steam supply is associated with the device and comprises a receptacle33 adapted to hold water and furthermore adapted to be placed upon aflame for the generation of steam. A pipe 34 connects with the top ofthe receptacle 33 and terminates in branches 35 and 36. The branch 35discharges coaxially into the spindle 12which is hollowedout along itscomplete length for thispurpose. The steam inthe spindle can dischargefrom a plurality of radial openings 37 in the spindle. The branch pipe;36 dischalgges into the casing 10. Each of the pipes and 36 is providedwith a valve 38 for the control of the steam.

A provision is made for collecting the wax discharge. This arrangementcomprises a funnel 39 mounted within the bottom discharge 11 andextending immediately over a strainer 40 supported upon a ring 41arranged within a tubular member 42 placed upon the top of thereceptacle 33 Another funnel 43 is mounted within the top of thereceptacle 33 and has a discharge 44 to the exterior. The tubular member42 is provided with handles 45 to facilitate its removal.

from the top of the container 33.

A means is provided for breaking the honeycomb during the operation ofcompression and releasing it for the purpose of efficiently causing thedischarge of the wax. This means comprises a plurality of chains 46stretched between the perforated plate 30 and a yoke 47 mounted upon thespindle 12. The yoke 47 has one of its arms formed with a slot 48engaging one of the guides 31 so as to prevent itsfree rotation and tocause it to rotate along with rotation of the drum 13 and consequentlythe perforated disc '30. An arrangement is provided whereby the radialpositions of the chains 46 may be varied to adjust the device fordifferent conditions in use. More particularly each of the ends of thechains 46 is connected with slides 49 mounted within guides 50secured'respectively upon the inner sides of the perforated disc 30 andthe yoke 47. Each of the slides 49 is provided with a set screw 51acting against the guides 50 whereby the slides maybe clamped '-tion'57arranged upon the discharge 11.

The operation of the device is as follows: First the honey is extractedand then the honey- -comb cleaned. Then the hand wheel 18, the "handle23, the end caps'lfi and 21 and the end l late 29, are removed and thehoneycom'b'placed within the open end of the drum 13. Then the removedparts arereplaced; Nextwater is placed into the receptacle 33 andthedevice supplied With suiiicient heat to create steam The steam allowedto enter the spindle 12 soas to prev jyent the wax from sticking uponthe spindle and preventoperation of the perforateddisc 30as hereinafterexplained.

Furthermore," the aesmjmay enter the; casing 10 to'raise the internaltemperature sufficiently .to cause the melting of the wax. Then thespinthemselvesinto' the honeycomb material. The

wax which r uns'oif is directedfirst through the funnel 39 then into thestrainer 40 "and then by the funnel 43 to the discharge 44' where itmayiently done by loosening set screws 51 and movbe suitably collected.Impurities of large size remain in the strainer.

The hand-wheel 18 should be turned first in one direction to slightlycompress the honeycomb and then turned back so as to cause the chains 46to straighten out and cut the honeycomb. In this manner the process isproceeded on until the honeycomb has been completely compressed and thewax efliciently removed. During the 'operation as the size of thehoneycomb diminishes due to the loss of wax, and also in cases where thehoneycombs are of different sizes, it is advisable to adjust the radialpositions of the chains 46. This may be convening the slides 49 todesired positionswithin the guides 50. A slight turn upon the set screw20 causes simultaneous rotation of the spindle 12 and the drum 13 whichis desirable during the process so as to eliminate thenecessity ofindividually operating theseparts. The guides 31 prevent the perforateddisc 30 from turning, limiting its motion to the longitudinal only.

While I have shown andv described the pre-' ferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood-that I do not limit myselfto theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in. the. appended claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim: as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: 1. A beehive press,comprising a cylindrical casing with a bottom discharge spout, anexternally threaded hollow spindle .rotative within said .casing, aperforated drumrotative on said spindle, means. for rotating said drum,means for rotating said spindle, a perforated plate threadedly engagedupon said spindle and of a diameter snugly engaging within said: drum,guides mounted within said'drum limiting motion of the perforatedplateto longitudinal movement only, a steam supply within the said cy- Ilindrical casing and also within said hollow 12\ means for breaking thehoneycomb during the compressed action of said perforated plate in itsmotion backand'forth, comprising a yoke mounted upon said spindle chainsextending 1011- I gitudinally within said drum'and mounted on oneof'their ends uponsaidperforated disc and at their'other ends upon saidyoke and connected for unitary rotation with said drum, and meansfor-adjusting the radial positions of said chains. r

r 2. A beehive press, comprising a cylindrical casing with'a bottomdischarge spout, an externally threaded hollow spindle rotative withinsaidcasing, a perforated drum rotative on said spindle, means forrotating said drum, means for .eter snugly engaging within said drum,guides mounted within said drum limiting motion 7 of the perforatedplateto longitudinal movement only, a steam supplywithin the said cylindricalcasing and alsofwithin" said hollow 'means for breaking the honeycombduring the compression action of said perforated plate in its motionback and forth; comprising a yoke mounted upon said spindle chainsextending longitudinally within said drumand mounted 'onone of theirends upon said perforated disc and at their other endsupon said yoke andconnected for unitary rotation with said drum, and means for adjustingthe radial positions of said chains, comprising slide members connectedwith said chains, radial guide members associated with said slides, andmeans for holding said slides in various adjusted positions within saidguides.

3. A beehive press, comprising a cylindrical casing with a bottomdischarge spout, an externally threaded hollow spindle rotative withinsaid casing, a perforated drum rotative on said spindle, means forrotating said drum, means for rotating said spindle, a perforated platethreadedly engaged upon said spindle and of a diameter snugly engagingwithin said drum, guides mounted within said drum limiting motion of theperforated plate to longitudinal movement only, a steam supply withinthe said cylindrical casing and also within said hollow means forbreaking the honeycomb during the compressed action of said perforatedplate in its motion back and forth, comprising the yoke mounted uponsaid spindle chains extending longitudinally within said drum andmounted on one of their ends upon said perforated disc and at theirother ends upon and yoke mounted upon said spindle and connected forunitary rotation with said drum, and means for adjusting the radialpositions of said chains, comprising slide members connected with saidchains, radial guide members associated with said slides, and means forholding said slides in various adjusted positions within said guidescomprising set screws engaged through said slides and abutting againstthe guides for accomplishing the holding of the slides in variousadjusted positions.

4. A beehive press, comprising a cylindrical casing with a bottomdischarge spout, an externally threaded hollow spindle rotative withinsaid casing, a perforated drum rotative on said spindle, means forrotating said drum, means for rotating said spindle, a perforated platethreadedly engaged upon said spindleand of a diameter snugly engagingwithin said drum, guides mounted within said drum limiting motion of theperforated plate to longitudinal movement only, a steam supply Withinthe said cylindrical casing and also within said hollow means forbreaking the honeycomb during the compression action of said perforatedplate in its motion back and forth, said collecting receptaclecomprising a tubular member engaged upon said spout, a water containerengaged Within the free end of said tubular member, a funnel within saidspout, a strainer within said tubular member beneath said funnel, and afunnel with a discharge pipe beneath said strainer.

CARL LIST.

